Dying Comes Before Knowing God’s Will

Many Christians sincerely seek to know God’s will for their lives.

“If only I could know God’s will for my life, I would sacrifice every-

thing for Him.” But even after promising this to God, we still may be

confused about what His will is. The reason for this confusion may be

found in Romans 12:1, 2. Paul is describing how we can know God’s

will, and he makes an important point: if you want to know what God’s

will is, you have to sacrifice first!

Read Romans 12:1, 2. Paul writes that we will be able to “test and approve

what God’s will is” (Rom. 12:2, NIV) when the following things happen:

1. We have a true understanding of “God’s mercy” for us (Rom. 12:1, NIV).

2. We offer ourselves as living sacrifices to God (Rom. 12:1).

3. Our minds are renewed (Rom. 12:2).

It is only the renewed mind that truly can understand God’s will. But

this renewal hinges on our death to self first. It was not enough that

Christ simply suffered for us—He had to die.

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you any areas in which you are not com-

pletely “dead.” What things does the Holy Spirit need you to give up

in order for you to become a “living sacrifice” for God?

When areas of our lives are not completely dead to self, God permits

crucibles to bring them to our attention. However, our suffering not only

helps us confront our sin—but it also gives us an insight into Jesus’

giving Himself up for us. Elisabeth Elliot writes, “The surrender of our

heart’s deepest longing is perhaps as close as we come to an understand-

ing of the cross. . . . Our own experience of crucifixion, though immea-

surably less than our Savior’s, nonetheless furnishes us with a chance

to begin to know Him in the fellowship of His sufferings. In every form

of our own suffering, He calls us to that fellowship.”—Quest for Love

(Grand Rapids, MI: Fleming H. Revell, 1996), p. 182.

Read and pray over Romans 12:1, 2. Think about the things you

need to give up in order to become a sacrifice. How does this

help you to understand the sufferings Jesus faced for you on the

cross? How can this knowledge help you enter into fellowship

with Jesus and His sufferings?